Palmer, Gusto, and Chilwell: Chelsea injury list & expected return dates ahead of Everton clash

Chelsea will have to wait until Monday evening to continue their push for European qualification this weekend. The Blues book-ended a thrilling 4-3 win over Manchester United last week with disappointing draws against relegation candidates Burnley and Sheffield United, and Mauricio Pochettino will be desperate to avoid any repeats of such needless point-squandering between now and the end of the campaign.

Next up for Chelsea is Everton, another side threatened by the prospect of the drop having suffered yet another points deduction earlier this week. The Toffees are now 16th in the table, just two points clear of the bottom three. For their part, Pochettino’s men are currently ninth, albeit with a game in hand on many of the sides above them.

But how will Chelsea line up against Sean Dyche’s visitors? Ahead of Monday’s fixture at Stamford Bridge, we’ve taken a look at the Blues’ latest injury list, as well as any potential return dates where possible, to try and get a better idea...

Cole Palmer

Palmer was withdrawn during the 2-2 draw with Sheffield United on Sunday, but Pochettino has been quick to alleviate any fears of an injury for the influential attacker, stating: 'No, not injured. I think he was tired. He had a knock vs Manchester United and was a little bit more tired than normal, so we wanted to protect after we scored the second goal [vs Sheffield United].'

Malo Gusto

In further good news for Chelsea, Gusto is also expected to be available for Monday’s game having been rested against Sheffield United following a bout of illness.

Robert Sanchez

Also in the running to return against Everton, Sanchez is likely to face a late assessment ahead of Monday’s fixture as he continues his recovery from a lingering knee problem.

Levi Colwill

Colwill has been absent in recent weeks due to a foot injury, but may hold an outside chance of returning against Everton. Less likely than others on this list, but still a possibility as things stand.

Ben Chilwell

The expectation is that, all being well, Chilwell should be fit enough to feature in some capacity against Everton following a period of illness. Speaking ahead of the Sheffield United match, Pochettino said: 'We need to see with Chilly. We will see if he can be involved [in training on Friday], but then there isn’t much time. If he’s not ready, then we hope for the next game.'

Wesley Fofana

In less positive news, Fofana is set to be sidelined for the foreseeable future as he continues his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury. The defender is not expected to play again this season.

Romeo Lavia

Likewise, Lavia is likely to miss the remainder of a nightmare debut campaign in West London as a consequence of a thigh problem. Speaking last month, Pochettino said: 'From December, we haven’t had the possibility to train with him because he was never really close to being available. We are going to help him become stronger and be available for pre-season.'

Reece James

The Chelsea captain is another who has struggled with injury this term, and the understanding is that he is still a little way off full fitness at the time of writing. Early May could be a realistic target for his comeback.

Christopher Nkunku

Nkunku is currently sidelined with a thigh complaint, and as of last week, was still not participating in first team training. Speaking on the attacker, Pochettino said: 'At the moment, we still [don't] know when it will be possible for him to start training with the team. He hasn’t had a setback; his recovery was longer than we expected.'

Lesley Ugochukwu

And finally, the midfielder is recovering from a hamstring strain, with no concrete indication as to when he is expected to return to first team action.